I have raised 3 wonderful girls that all were cheerleaders.
The problem of late is that cheerleading has become very expensive. It cost over $500.00 to be a member of the squad this year.
Is this become a problem at other schools?
Our squad went from 24 cheerleaders with over 60 trying out to 9 cheerleaders with everyone making the squad.
Old Henry Man Wrote:I have raised 3 wonderful girls that all were cheerleaders.
The problem of late is that cheerleading has become very expensive. It cost over $500.00 to be a member of the squad this year.
Is this become a problem at other schools?
Our squad went from 24 cheerleaders with over 60 trying out to 9 cheerleaders with everyone making the squad.
Being a father of a boy and girl, I understand the costs very well. You are right, the costs are pretty high for cheerleading, but not out of comparison for the other sports. That $500 covers a lot of things i.e. uniforms, gymnastics, competition entry fees, etc...
My son plays multiple sports. For a single sport, it's not just the $175 player fee that he has to pay. By the time I am finished with his fees and training costs for baseball alone, we are well over a $1K per year.
I know some schools charge a fee, but most do not.
You are right about the cost, I have paid alot of money, and done alot of traveling for 3 girls to learn a back handspring.
Our school does not have a fee for a sport, but other sports does alot of fundraising, however cheerleading does not have a fund raisor.
Cheerleading is very expensive. Almost all of the costs are covered from fundraising, and if you don't fundraise or cannot meet your quota, then it must come out of pocket. Not only do you have to pay gymnastics each week, but there is the insurance for the gymnastics. You have to buy ribbons, socks, multiple pairs of shoes, cheer briefs (multiple colors), uniforms, warm ups, team dues, and many other items. It becomes very expensive very quickly, but well worth it if your school has a quality cheer program.
That Girl Wrote:Cheerleading is very expensive. Almost all of the costs are covered from fundraising, and if you don't fundraise or cannot meet your quota, then it must come out of pocket. Not only do you have to pay gymnastics each week, but there is the insurance for the gymnastics. You have to buy ribbons, socks, multiple pairs of shoes, cheer briefs (multiple colors), uniforms, warm ups, team dues, and many other items. It becomes very expensive very quickly, but well worth it if your school has a quality cheer program.
Believe me, I understand what you are saying but "Why are Ribbons go expensive?"
We had to have different colors and different styles, and we couldn't just go to Wal-Mart and buy them. We custom ordered ours so that cost could have been avoided
Cheer camps, uniforms, gymnastics, ribbons, spanky's, shoes, socks, warm-ups, trainers for routines, oh the list could go on and on!!! LOL.... A LOT of schools do funraisers to help offset the costs that parents have to pay. Maybe you should mention this to your daughters cheer coach and see what she has to say!!!
I also have 3 daughters who cheer and the cost for cheerleading goes beyond more than most realize...uniforms, jackets, warm-ups (for cheering during those cold football games and to wear to basketball games), socks, tights, bodysuits, 2 pair of shoes (1 football, 1 basketball), hairbows..those are just to start with
Let's not forget, camp, gymnastics, choreographer, mats (yes the cheerleaders by their own competition mats which usually run anywhere from $5,000.00 to $7,000.00
Then there is the stuff they have to buy (out of the parents pockets) to make for the teams..booster buddy boxes, posters, locker decorations, etc.
But, they love it and it makes it all worth it!
I know some teams around where I live does alot of fund raiser to to help with the cheerleaders cost. Sometimes not all the time most of the cheerleaders raises the full amount for uniforms shoes etc. I know right now some of them are selling the christmas fruit baskets. Before that I think they done the resturant cards for $10 and donuts. These three always seems to do well. Hopefully this helps.